Distribution Automatique

Saturday, March 31

Tony Scott dies

Toni and I are saddened today by the death this week of the great jazzman, Tony Scott who played his sax and clarinet on a number of classic Billy Holiday songs, creator of *Music for Zen Meditation* and many other great albums. He was Toni's namesake, having been discovered by Toni's father Bill Simon, who he roomed with in the early days of his career. He will be greatly missed. He lived in Rome in the latter part of his life, and is survived by his wife Cinzia, who lives in Rome, two daughters and a grandchild.

Elaine Equi's reading at Cue last night was a joy. Check out the rave review for her book of new and selected poems *Ripple Effect* in the Sunday NY Times Book Review The Air is Full of Secrets

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

This is a week of poem dedications. Here is one Norman Fischer wrote a while back and sent to me today.

Writing out directions to the locationIs a monument accompanied by drumsPersuaded by the daily round to search forAny hour to take seriously, Mining the very thoughtfulnessFinally for something here to holler at – or on – Of bills to be paid, the settled wonder of wordsThat are debts, in places, numbers on a pageLit up and constantly fading or morphingInto higher and lower figures, going afterThe unsayable, going away in a huff –

Some other day there’s another wayIn the middle, very exhausted, an assortmentOf pains for your delectation, comfortOf being alive. Sauntering down Light StreetOr in the park conversing passionatelyIs there anything determined under the sun?A gathering of poets huddled on the pavementIs a simulation of interested practiceA preservation of the evolving speciesThat has co-oped the absolute in sputteringsOf exalted speech